Google Restricts Use of Ad Creatives for AI Training With New Ad Manager Policy

Google Ad Manager Updates: New Restrictions on Using Creatives for AI Training

Starting July 21, 2025, Google has introduced updated Partner Guidelines for Ad Manager that restrict the use of advertising creatives for training machine learning models. This change specifically targets the Ad review center, a tool allowing partners to review, approve, or block creatives served on their inventory.

While partners retain full control to manage creatives within the Ad review center, the updated policy explicitly prohibits using any creatives accessed through this interface for machine learning purposes. This marks a clear boundary aimed at protecting creative content from being repurposed for AI training without consent.

What This Means for Creatives Professionals

If your role involves reviewing or managing advertising creatives, these new restrictions require adjustments in how you handle creative assets. Any workflows or internal tools that previously leveraged creatives for AI model training must be revised to comply with these guidelines.

The Ad review center remains a powerful tool for creative approval and blocking, but using its content outside of these functions—especially for AI training—is now off-limits. This update also reinforces the need to follow all existing platform policies when handling creative assets.

Technical and Compliance Highlights

• Partners can still review and store creatives as needed to meet legal and regulatory requirements.
• Feedback mechanisms to Google about site or app monetization remain active and unchanged.
• Data transfer policies and support procedures for Ad Manager are unaffected by this update.
• The restriction on machine learning applies only to creatives accessed via the Ad review center, not to other data like reporting or audience metrics.
• Publishers using Manual Creative Review Protections must ensure their review processes comply with the new machine learning restrictions.

Additional Policy Details Affecting Creatives

The updated guidelines maintain existing requirements around video metadata, invalid activity restrictions, and user privacy policies. For example, video content managers must continue providing accurate metadata and URLs, and partners must avoid ad placements that interfere with user experience.

Specific rules apply to Connected TV (CTV) and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) inventory implementations, along with placement restrictions for Open Auction participants. These policies work alongside the machine learning restrictions to ensure a safe and compliant advertising environment.

Enforcement and Industry Impact

Google will enforce these new rules using its existing monitoring and compliance systems. Violations could lead to account restrictions or service limitations.

For creative teams, this means revisiting internal processes and tools that interact with Ad Manager’s creative data. Any machine learning initiatives using creative content must exclude assets accessed through the Ad review center to avoid policy breaches.

Key Timeline of Related Updates

• July 21, 2025: Updated Partner Guidelines with machine learning restrictions take effect.
• November 2023: Launch of the enhanced Ad Review Center with new features.
• November 2023: Introduction of Manual Creative Review Protections (beta testing).
• October 2024: Tighter rules and penalties for ad agencies managing client accounts.
• June 2025: Updates to third-party policy affecting linked accounts.
• July 2021: Previous guideline updates including encrypted signals guidance.

Glossary of Key Terms

• Ad Review Center: A Google Ad Manager tool where publishers can examine and control which creatives serve on their inventory.
• Machine Learning Models: AI systems that analyze data to optimize advertising targeting, bidding, and content recommendations.
• Google Ad Manager: An ad serving platform combining direct and programmatic ad inventory management.
• Partner Guidelines: Policies outlining operational, technical, and compliance requirements for Google advertising partners.
• Creative Content: Digital ads including banners, videos, and interactive ads reviewed before serving.
• Programmatic Advertising: Automated buying and selling of ad inventory through real-time bidding and algorithms.

For creatives aiming to stay compliant and efficient, reviewing your current use of the Ad review center is essential. Adjust workflows to ensure no creative asset accessed there is used for AI training. This clarity helps protect intellectual property and aligns with Google's policy direction.

For those interested in expanding their knowledge of AI and advertising technologies, resources such as Complete AI Training offer courses that can help creatives adapt to these changes and explore AI responsibly.